18 Oct 2016

Food security remains one of the challenges facing many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Patrick Ralotsia has said.

Mr Ralotsia said the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) 17th conference of the African Association for Biological Nitrogen Fixation (AABNF) would therefore set a stage for researchers, farmers and policy makers to share experiences and make resolutions that would guide the overall direction of soil fertility research and management.

He told the conference in Gaborone on October 17 that  issues for discussion such as soil fertility management, climatic constraints amongst others, should be researched on to enable Africa improve its environment and food security.

The conference, Mr Ralotsia said, would help search for solutions on food security and climate change in Africa. 

He urged researchers to investigate processes such as biological nitrogen fixation as a way to manage climate change and effects in a sustainable manner.

Minister Ralotsia said the conference resonated well with the mandate of his ministry.

He said his ministry was re-named Agricultural Development and Food Security to emphasise the importance of ensuring that there was enough food produced in a sustainable manner while mitigating effects of climate change.

For her part, dean of the agriculture faculty at BUAN, Dr Boingotlo Sebolai said it was a privilege for the university to host such a conference, which she said defined the existence of it becoming an institution of international repute.She also noted that Botswana was amongst the most vulnerable countries because of its harsh conditions hence the conference would explore solutions to such issues.

The AABNF conference, which ends on Friday, was meant to promote research, training and the use of biological nitrogen fixation systems to increase food production. ENDS